Sunday, May 31, 2015

Today was a unique service. The Wilbanks were anointed and sang beautifully. True to form they sang the 23rd Psalm and a new one that I really got a kick out of about if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Before they sang, Bishop Davis talked for a short while on how we are not our own or of this world. We have been bought with the price of Jesus' blood he shed on the cross. If you need a guidebook, you can find all your answers in The Bible. After the Wilbanks finished singing, a short exhortation was given. Jesus healed and raised people from the dead. His disciples were there for these miracles. As they observed, they also saw that after these great times, Jesus would go and pray. They realized, knowing how to pray was the source and so much more important than the actual miracle itself. The power of anything you need is in prayer. The results of miracles come through prayer. It is so important to read God's word and pray on a daily bases. I enjoyed hearing them sing and I would like to share with you my #1 favorite song by them, which has also been RJ's favorite song sung by them since he was in my womb. I hope you are blessed and enjoy it as much as we do. 23 Psalm sung by The Wilbanks . God is good.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Thursday night Bro. Wyser taught a lesson from Acts 8:26-40 with the title, " The Desire To Be A Belonger". He talked about how some church meetings can be rough and confrontational. The early church at the beginning was made up of Jews only. When the churches came together for a meeting,they had a pressing issue at hand. There were outsiders who wanted to come in and belong to the church. They were not of the Jewish race. As they discussed this, everyone had their own viewpoint and used a scripture or text to support their views. Others were trying to say it was so and so's fault for bringing the thought that non-Jews could actually be saved. When they looked at what Jesus had to say in his word,it was clear, God does not have a caste system. He died for all. His salvation is for every race and every financial background. It does not matter who you are, he loves you. Everyone wants to have a place to belong. When you read God's word, you will find a place that is you. You find where you fit in God's Kingdom. He is all things to all people. Yes, we need to follow the Acts 2:38 message and apply it to our life. We need to realize it's for everyone, not just a select few. Bro. Wyser said something that stood out to me. He said that when we lash out at someone it's because we are at war with ourselves. Because we are not sure we fight and with all our might try to prove we are right. I started thinking about this. The one who knows the truth in a heated discussion is calm. They are not at war within, because they are sure of the truth. The one yelling the loudest is the most afraid, because they are not convinced themself of what they are fighting about. When you know the truth you can walk away with your head up and live your life guilt free. Truth, truly does set you free. The wonderful thing about this gospel truth is that it's for everyone. God is good.

Friday, May 29, 2015

My journale appeared in the back seat of the car today. When I opened it, I found a picture drawn by RJ. I believe it's the Gospel Ship. He loves to draw boats and I'm tickled, he drew one in my journal. Since it is late, I will bid you goodnight and plan to share Thursday nights lesson with you on Saturday. God is good.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Tonight's lesson by Bro Wyser was an outstanding lesson. Unfortunately, I can't find my journal with my notes in it. My boy had it after church and it looked like he was writing me a note and drawing me a picture. I'm sure it will suddenly appear when he has finished. When it does, I will gladly write about tonight's lesson. For now, I will say goodnight. God is good.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

I looked at the calander and realized that very soon 2nd grade is coming to an end. When I look at my boy, I no longer see the baby in him. Thankfully, he still will cuddle with me and I love it when he blows me kisses on assembly days. I soak these moments up, because the 3rd graders look so big, and he might not blow kisses when he is big like them. These moments are growing pains for this mother's heart. How did we get here so quickly? It seems like yesterday that he was taking his first step. He is growing up fast and in the blink of an eye, he will be fully grown. I'm so thankful for every moment I have and will continue to catch his kisses and welcome his hugs for as long as I can. God is good.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

I missed the first half of the care group lesson, since I was putting RJ to bed. When I did join the group, I gathered it was about a chain of events. When we follow the leading or whisper of the Lord, it can make a forever change in another person's life. A kind word or deed can turn a life around. Sometimes something as simple as a smile can have a huge impact on another person. If we learn to not be so consumed with our own life, we are able to be aware of what is going on around us. When you hear a gentle tug to talk to someone or show kindness, you may be saving a life. For instance the story being told was about a pastor of a small church. He had a hole in the wall he needed to cover up in preparation for the Christmas Eve service. He went to a rummage sale and saw a quilt with a cross in the middle of it. He decided to purchase it to hang on the wall to cover the hole inside. When he got back to the church, there was an elderly lady waiting for her bus. Since it was snowing, he invited her into the church to keep her warm. He hung up the quilt and the elderly lady asked if the initials EJK were on the corner of the quilt. She said, she made the quilt in Austria and when the Nazis came, she escaped, but her husband did not and she never saw him again. The Pastor was so amazed by the story and touched, they became friends and he drove her home. On Christmas Eve the church was packed. After it was over an elderly man came forward and asked if the initials EJK were on the quilt, because his wife had made that quilt and she escaped, but he did not. When he got out of prison, he never saw her again. That Christmas Eve they were reunited after not seeing each other for 30 year. A series of a chain of events, changed two lives forever. God is good.

Monday, May 25, 2015

We spent our Memorial Day weekend in NJ. It was a pretty fun filled weekend. Yesterday, after we payed our respects to Grampy (he served in the army) we attended cousin Nicky's annual Memorial Day BBQ. He always goes above and beyond and the food is excellent. RJ and Ross had a good time and we enjoyed catching up with all the cousins. Also, over the weekend, the boys went fishing. RJ was excited to be with the big boys and wore his new Phillies baseball hat for the occasion. He wears it to honor the memory of his Grampy, because they were his favorite team. Today, the boys helped Grammy plant her tomatoes in the garden and then helped Bob paint the workshop and picnic tables. To top it off we hung beautiful hanging flowers all over the freshly mowed backyard (done by Joe and his son Joe Joe). It was hard work mixed with play and water fights. In the middle of all this, the cat had her kittens. Of course we can't forget the nightly ice cream from Taylor's ice cream truck. When all was said and done, Grammy was very happy and that is what matters the most. God is good.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

For the Jews and for Christians today is Pentecost. For us this day is to celebrate the outpouring of God's spirit. For those who have had their own Acts 2:38 experience, today is a great day of celebration. We attended service in NJ and enjoyed the liberty of God's presence. When church was over, we stopped by to pay our respects to my Father-in-law. This weekend is also a time to remember those who has passed away and served our country. He loved the Acts 2:38 message and loved our country as well. God is good.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

One of my favorite things to do when in NJ is to sit by a bonfire in my brother in law's backyard. Tonight's is pretty awesome. Today, was a work day in Grammy's yard. The boys painted the picnic benches with a fresh coat of red and helped Grammy in her garden. Can't forget that we got ice cream from my nieces Taylor's Ice Cream truck. The weekend has been a good one and I'm thankful for it. God is good.

Friday, May 22, 2015

Today was Blue and White Day at RJ's school. The entire school is split into two teams, the white team vs the blue team. RJ is on the blue team. Last year he had a hard time participating due to not being very athletic. This year he was super excited and ready to give each event his best shot. When I arrived to pick him up from school, they were announcing which team won. When they announced team blue, the roar was awesome. The best part, was watching my boy jump up and down because the team he was on won. He was so excited because he felt like he played a part. His self-confidence has grown leap and bounds this year and it was joy to my heart to see him in full participation.I have a feeling third grade is going to be a great year for him. God is good.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Pastor Davis taught a really good lesson tonight. His topic was on "The Engrafted Word" and he based it from James 1:21-25. When something is to be grafted, the shoot or root is placed into the trunk of another plant. If the graft works, new life breaks forth and you can see that it bears fruit or new leaves. When we engraft the word of God into our lives, there needs to be evidence of it. We are not to just hear the word of God and read it, we are to live it. It's good to memorize God's word, but we need to have it in our hearts. His word, needs to be in our life and how we live our life. To become engrafted with the word, we need to clean out anything in our life that stands in the way. When there is a comandment in the Bible or instructions given, we are all to obey. In daily life, we all have certain things that may keep us from having a strong walk with God. What may be a stumbling block for me, may not be one for another person. We cannot compare ourselves to others and say, well if it's ok for them, it must be ok for me. If God places it on your heart to give it up, don't judge another person becauase it's ok for them. The wonderful thing about God is that he is merciful and loves us. He wants us to make the choice to follow him. He does not demand it of us. When we make the choice to live for Christ, his words, need to become engrafted in us. In order for this to happen, we need to realize that God cannot live in a filthy temple. When we look in the mirror of God's word, God will show us what we need to clean out of our life.Even if we don't like what we see, we must be real and honest. When this takes place, we are to accept it and obey. God will bless you in everything you do when you put him first. The key to a blessed life in in the obediance to God's word. When we apply it to our lives, we are a blessed people. God is good.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Every grade in the school that RJ attends has an assembly day. Each grade puts on a skit or play. The 4th graders usually do a Wax Museum theme. This year they did an outstanding job. The people of history ranged from President Obama to Elvis Presley. One of them, I knew was going to be RJ's favorite and I learned later, I was right. The student that chose George Lucas ended his monologue with the phrase," May the force be with you". True to form, RJ as well as many other students were tickled when he said it. From the costumes to the confidence coming from the students, I was very impressed. They always do a good job and today, I was not disappointed. God is good.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

In our home group study tonight Bro Joe taught about our appointed destiny with God. We all have a time when God reaches out to us. For some it's just one chance, for others God keeps reaching out over and over again. When our time comes, he reaches out to us and we make the choice to respond to him. He gave an example of a swimmer who had gone to practice swimming in the evening time. His friend had been telling him about God and he told him he wanted to do with him. That night as he was on the diving board, he had his back facing the pool. He spread his arms out in position to jump back into a dive and he saw his shadow reflecting on the wall. It looked like a cross. While 20 ft up in the air he sat on the diving board and wept. He turned his heart towards God. As he sat there, the lights to the room came on and when he turned to look, he saw that the pool had been emptied of the water. If he had not stopped and prayed to God, he would have dived into and empty pool and his death. We are not promised tomorrow. When will you make the choice to live for God? God is good.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Today we had breakfast with RJ at his school. He showed us a brochure he put together. Each child picked a place of interest to them. Most picked different countries, RJ picked the state of Virginia. He did a great job and had pictures to match his facts. He talked about how Virginia has the best peaches and ham. I have tasted the ham and it is very good. As for peaches from Virginia, not yet. On our next trip, we plan to stop and taste their famous peaches. Virginia is a special place for RJ, well for me too. I love visiting and have a heart for the Applachien mountains. I'm not surprised, he chose to talk about the state of Virginia, for it has a special place in his heart. God is good.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Today we attended service in Manhatten. Bro. Ramirez recently had an operation and is still in recovery. Brother Ramirez's son in law, Andrew spoke on something that stood out to me. He talked about how our lives as a Chrsirian need to be like a stream. If we are like a lake, there is no fluidity and you can't drink the water because it's not clean. A steam is constantly moving and it cleans the water. You drink it,there is fresh life in the water. The Bible talkes about rivers of living water flowing through us. If we are full of Christ, them it will flow through us like rivers of living water to those around us. If we are stagnant like a lake, there is no freshness in us. It was so nice to see everyone and a joy to see the light of Christ in the heart of Manhatten. God is good.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Today Bob and RJ had a Daddy Day and explored the space part of the American Museum of Natural History. They were very excited about the rather large meteorite on display. Bob said that he left with a deep respect for how big and great our God is. Later in the evening Bob and I went on a date. On our way home, all traffic was stopped by a large family of Geese crossing the street. It's the largest group of geese I have seen at one time. It was so cute to see them walking in a line and with full confidence that they were safe to cross. We ended our evening working on a very special project. RJ's Grammy gave him a very special gift. She gave him a lantern that had belonged to her dad ( great grandpa Lieb). Bob told us that he remembered him using it all the time. With much tender loving care, Bob was able to make it beautifull again. The best part was when we tested to see if it still worked, it shone beautifully. A priceless gift that, I am sure RJ will treasure for a lifetime.

Friday, May 15, 2015

A while back I mentioned that we were not a sports family. Well, it turns out my son is a NY Rangers fan. Apparently over the school year his fellow classmates have had friendly banter over who is the better hockey team. It has become the Islanders vs the Rangers. My boy picked the Rangers because the only time he ever saw them play, they were the underdog. Now he's thrilled because they are on a winning streak. I'm doing my best to keep him up to date on how they are doing. To the NY Rangers, I say, you have a little 7 year old boy ( who has never liked sports)that has become your fan, and for his sake I hope you win the cup. God is good.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Pastor Davis preached a very impassioned sermon on Sunday. I must admit it was not your typical Mother's Day sermon, however, it was needed for our present day and time. He preached from Psalms 19 and his sermon was entitled, “The Law Of The Lord". We are coming into darker times where Christianity is not to so welcome. Knowledge of all things are increasing and more and there is an attempt to lead away from Godly teaching. The end-time Christian lives in a day where the truth of God is questioned. The Bible is the pure word of God. It is the living word of God, it is our salvation. Our lives need to be built upon the word of God, The Bible. It doesn't matter if someone chooses to not believe it, it's still right and truth. Christianity built on the foundation of the word of God is becoming the minority. It is so important to make sure that we know what The Bible truly says. We need to love it and know it. Remember, if you are standing on the word of God, even if everyone around you does not believe, you are right. God is with you, therefore, you are really in the majority, because God wins! If we could only understand that wherever we go, we are not alone. The angels of the Lord are with you. Remember, no matter what you are going through, God will not tempt you. He will test you and will see if you will follow his words. Do you live your life according to the word of God, or do you live your life according to popular opinion? Your source and direction needs to come from the unchanging word of God. God says what he means and he means what he says. His word does not always fit man's thinking. No matter what, let God's words be true and every man a liar. Live your life according to God's word, even when it goes against what the world around you is saying is right. God's word is truth, it never changes. We are not promised tomorrow. We will be judged by the word. Are we living our life according to what the Bible says is right and wrong. Are we walking a Christ-centered life? The time is coming when those who say they are followers of Christ will began to teach things that do not match up with what the word of God teaches. If you do not know his word, love his word, you will be caught up in the disillusionment. There is only on truth, one way and one God. Know his word, be alert, be ready. Stand for God's word, no matter the cost. Translate his words into your life. In the middle of preaching, Pastor Davis stopped and really started being very "real" with the church. I don't think I have ever seen or heard him so passionate and fired up about our walk with God. I don't know how to explain it, there was a fervency in his voice as he preached. Almost a sense of desperation, a wish that we would take a hold of this and truly apply it. He's a pastor, he cares about us. Yet...I do know how to explain it. You could feel it. The urgency, to be right. Make sure your life lines up with God's word. Make sure you heart is right. God is coming so very soon. You can feel it in the air. It shouts through the news, the Jesus is coming soon. We are so blessed with freedom here in America. If we are not careful, our only knowledge of what God's word says, will be from what we hear from a preacher's mouth. We must read it and understand it for ourselves. This is me speaking now. I believe the day is coming soon, that many will think they know God and are only following the crowd. If you do not know what The Bible truly teaches, how can you stand and know when something false is being taught. It has already started. Churches are coming together to become one. They are teaching a doctrine that does not line up with the truth in God's word. Be vigilant, be awake, read his word. The Bible has not changed and will not change. Stand for it, even when we are told to do otherwise. America wake up! Church wake up! Is your oil lamp full? Are you full of his spirit? Are you walking with him every day? Be strong and stand on the word of God! Be ready, Jesus is coming! God is good.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

I need to apologize for waiting until tomorrow to post Pastor Davis' sermon. Today, I experienced what I can only call snow pollen. There was so much pollen in the air it was falling like snow to the ground. I had a very bad coughing fit from it and could hardly breath. I took some allergy medicine and it's making me very sleepy. I will post his sermon, I feel it's an important one. For now, I will say goodnight and hope, this medicine works so I can breath much better. I stand resolved , I love the beauty of spring, but when it comes to snow, I will take the winter snow over pollen snow. God is good.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Ok..I said I would post Pastor's Sermon today..but I will tomorrow..I will, I will..I will. My mom left today. In fact, she's on the plane right. Unfortunately, her flight was delayed and she spent several hours at the airport with no air conditioning. For whatever reason, it was steaming hot. I feel so bad she had to go through that. This weekend with my mom was a wonderful one. I wish she lived here. I hate saying goodbye to her. Hopefully, we will see her again this summer. If I could wish upon a star and it came true, I would wish she was here all the time. I love my mom and appreciate every moment I have with her. God is good.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Pastor Davis preached an intense and powerful sermon that I will share tomorrow. Today I want to focus on the beauty of this day. I'm so glad my mom could be here with us. RJ sang in the children's choir and I loved every kiss he threw to me. We ended the day having a BBQ in the backyard admiring all the beautiful flowers and the birds taking a bath in the new birdbath. It was a peaceful day filled with love. I'm so thankful to be a mom and pray that I am a Godly example to my son. As long as he keeps Jesus first and loves him more than anything else in this world, he will have a heavenly reward. This Mother's Day was a gift from heaven and I thank God for it. God is good.

Saturday, May 09, 2015

We have a annual tradition on Mother's Day Weekend. Saturday in the morning, Bob and the boys go to the church plant sale and pick out an array of flowers for me to plant in my backyard. I love to plant flowers. It may seem like work to others but it's very soothing for me. It was fun to plant the flowers in my new pots with my mom and watch RJ and Ross digging in the dirt. At the end when it was all done, Bob surprised me with a new bird bath for my garden. I am so happy. I love watching the birds come in the summertime. My Mother's Day gift keeps giving all the way to the end of summer and brings a smile to my face and heart on a daily bases. God is good.

Friday, May 08, 2015

Today was Grandparents Day at RJ's school. I love that it's on Mother's Day weekend because it means I get to spend quality time with my mom. I love having her here. Everything is In full bloom and my allergies are in full swing. Nevertheless, I'm so glad to have my mom here and enjoy the beauty of Spring with her. RJ had a wonderful time with her at his school and we are treasuring every moment with her. God is good.

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

So we are just a bit excited in this house. My mom is arriving tomorrow for Mothers Day weekend and to attend Grandparents Day with RJ at his school. I can't wait to see my mommy. We have some fun things planned and we will have fun even if what we planned doesn't work out. If I could, I would keep her here all the time. God is good.

Tuesday, May 05, 2015

Tonight in our Bible reading we read from Psalms. There is a point where it talks about Prosperity within your palaces and peace within your walls. I thought about this. We have all heard that your home is your castle. Who in this day an age does not want to have peace within their walls? No one who lives under this roof is perfect. We are human and all make mistakes. We do however try our best to keep Christ first and the center of our lives. Because of this, we have peace within our walls. Life is far from perfect and we have gone through some crazy life-storms, but peace of God has prevailed. I'm not overflowing with money, but there has not been a day that we have gone hungry. God has always provided for us. I learned a long time ago to not put my trust in man, they will fail me. God never has and never will. God is good.

Monday, May 04, 2015

When it comes to a house that is all male, except for me (even all pets are male) May the 4th is a big deal. Sports is not a big topic in our home and neither are Super Heroes. RJ knows about them and they just don't seem to strike his fancy. Believe it or not, I LOVED the Avengers comic books when I was a little girl. Our home tends to lean more towards Pirates and Star Wars, at least where RJ is concerned. Thus, it is with no surprise, RJ could hardly contain himself when he was able to say to me, “May the 4th be with you". Yes, this was a big day for him. My niece Tally also is a Star Wars fan, so he sent her a little video with well wishes and then decided to give one for Facebook and his cousins Ross and David. I have a feeling next year he is going to want to dress up. It's ok, all in fun. I pray that the true force, Jesus Christ, is always with him and even you. God is good.

Sunday, May 03, 2015

Today Bro. Walker preached an outstanding sermon. I don't even know if I can do it justice. The presence of the Lord was so strong. He had a tent set up at the front of the alter area and he had a picture projected on the wall of a tent in the middle of rubble and ruins. Hit title was," A Tent In The Rubble". His main scriptures were from Ruth 1:16-18,Pslams 115:1-13, Psalms 40:17 and Psalms 138:6. Naomi married and left Judah, the land of praise to live in Moab which became a place of rubble for her. Rubble in our lives is the place of bitterness, disappointment and failures. It's the place where things have fallen apart and instead of leaving that place we pitch a tent to live. Our fear of moving forward and lack of trust in God keeps us from letting go and moving into a victorious life. We all have issues, we all have things that have caused us pain. It's up to us to leave it behind and move on. When Naomi lost her husband and her sons all she had left were her two daughter in laws. Naomi received news that the land of Judah and Bethlehem (which means house of bread) was once again prospering, she decided to leave the sorrow behind and head back to her homeland, the house of praise. One of her daughter in laws chose to stay and the other, Ruth chose to go with Naomi. When she did this, she set herself in the motion to become the part of the kinsmen redeemer for Naomi. By making the choice to leave the pain of the past behind, they walked into the redemptive promises of God. Bro. Walker began to count the sons that were born/descendants of Boaz and Ruth. When he got to the 28th son, it was with much excitement. Jesus was the 28th descendant of Boaz. Jesus, the messiah the redeemer of our sins. Out of a place of ruin, because Ruth chose to leave it behind, she became a part of the lineage that led to the birth of Christ. We need to dig ourselves out of the rubble of our circumstances. We serve a way maker. If God can make room for a converted Moabites who was a part of the linage of Jesus Christ, there is room for you and me in Christ today! Jesus is standing at the door of your heart and asking you to leave the sorrows you are in behind. Walk forward, towards the hope God has for you. God is good.

Saturday, May 02, 2015

Today RJ had a very fun and adventerous day with Auntie Christinea and Uncle Jason. When they picked him up, he didn't know where they were going. After the subway ride adventure, he found himself on Randall's Island for their Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival. From his excitement as he told me about the day and the pictures sent to me, I can see he had a great day. I'm so glad his day was one filled with happy memories. God is good.

Friday, May 01, 2015

Ok..I know I was going to blog about last night’s lesson. I will, in fact its right here in front of me waiting to be put on my blog. It will wait until next week, maybe even tomorrow. At the present I want to talk about some simple comforts in my heart. I'm sitting on the couch and wrapped around me is my "frozen" blanket that my mom crocheted for me. It's the perfect size to use as a throw blanket on the couch and wraps perfectly around me. Bob loves it too. This blanket brings me a comfort. It's like my mom is here with me. Tomorrow, RJ is going to have a blast. His Aunt Christinea and Uncle Jason are picking him up for a date day with them. This is where the church becomes your family, since we are not blood related. They are family to me and I trust them with my son's life. I thank God for them. They are a comfort to me and to our family. I have comfort that Ross is out with friends having a good and very clean time. His willingness to play with RJ is a blessing. On Sunday's when I see him worshiping God with all his might, is a comfort to my heart. At night after RJ is in bed, Bob lays his head on my lap. After a long of working hard, as his head rest's there, he falls asleep. It's a comfort to know that after 8 years being married, we still love each other. These comforts, are simple, and are blessings from the Lord. Not every blessing from God is a financial one, his blessings come in many forms. Look around you, God is there, he's in everything. God is good.